Strategy

S&T has defined six areas that form the basis for the strategic targets:

Growth

S&T has always been a growth company. This combination of organic growth and acquisitions will also shape growth to 2010, with a focus on organic growth. Forecasts for the markets in general, and for IT services in particular, in the S&T countries promise potential for growth, which S&T wants make the most of.

The predicted BIP growth rates to 2010 in most S&T countries are between two and six percent, while experts are predicting 8.8% for China, 6.5% for the Ukraine, and 6.2% for Turkey, Romania and Albania*. There is massive potential for growth in the still rather low per capita spending on IT, particularly in Eastern Europe. Double-digit growth rates are predicted for IT services markets. Expected spending on IT in several of S&T's focus industries also shows the same upward trend.

*Source: EITO 2007

Geographic presence

S&T is currently active in the market in 22 countries. In geographic terms, the Group's focus is on Central, Eastern and German-speaking Europe, with China and Japan becoming increasingly significant as interesting growth markets. For the immediate future, S&T will keep to this clear geographic focus.

Business areas

S&T creates value for its clients along the entire IT value-creation chain. In IT consultancy, solutions and services, it supplies everything from ERP solutions to information lifecycle management plans to desktop managed services and software development. S&T plans a massive boost to its consultancy, increases in SAP and software business and growth in managed and professional services and outsourcing. In addition, the future will be shaped by further development and the use of detailed industry expertise.

Customers and target industries

S&T services large and medium national and international clients with 250 or more employees or positions. Main branches are manufacturing, telecommunications, financial services, public administration and energy supply, retail, car trade, aerospace and defence industries. Projects for these clients are carried out from around 70 locations in 22 countries, both within each country and in multinational teams.

Partners

S&T works closely with selected strategic partners, for whom the S&T Group is also a key partner and who, like S&T, are prepared to invest significantly in successful development of the partnership. Some of S&T's current strategic partners are international brands like HP, EMC, SAP, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, JDA and FirstApex Group.

Employees

The expertise and professionalism of its staff is the key success factor for S&T as a service company. Each year it invests around 3% of its total salaries and wages budget - almost twice as much as the average Austrian company - in training and further education. Training in the next few years will focus particularly on extending industry and technology expertise.